Veterinary B12

[patez]

Hi.

Can anyone advise me if I can use veterinary cyanocobalamin b12 for IM?

The reason I ask is that I have pa and b12 cyanocobalamin ampoules are currently not available here in Thailand!

However, cyanocobalamin is available in vials, for use in animals.

I tried to order hydroxocobalamin from Germany, but the shipment was banned due to Thailand import laws!

I would have much preferred hydroxo, if it was available in Thailand!

Any help greatly appreciated

Patez

[Foggyme Administrator]

Sorry Patel, in short, no, it’s not a good idea.

My understanding is that there are different manufacturing standards, making this potentially unsuitable for injection by humans.

Its possible that some may have tried it, but in the interests of safeguarding, it’s not something that we would recommend.

[patez in reply to Foggyme]

Thanks for your reply.

This leaves me with a very tricky problem.

I am obviously not going to easily get my regular b12 injections because of local supply issues.

May I ask your opinion of the efficacy of sublingual methycobalamin lozenges (namely Solgar 1000 mcg).

Thanks

Patez

[Nackapan in reply to patez]

If you can't get an injrction I would try them. But 2 or 3 in one day

Only my opinion.

L hope you csn source an injection from z doctor of hospital.

I've tried oral b12 in the past but hadn't done anything but some do in very high doses get enough by passive absorption .

[patez in reply to Nackapan]

Hi.

Thanks for your input.

I find that I can manage with roughly 1 weekly injection. Any longer than that, I start to get neurological symptoms (tingling fingers mainly).

I will take Foggyme advice not to use veterinary b12.

I was actually diagnosed with PA because I did not respond to oral b12. So I am very sceptical about oral b12.

The hospital here has also run out of b12 injections! I guess that it is because of covid? The local factory here may have a severe manpower shortage, so they can't produce any? Amazingly, the import of b12 in Thailand is banned!

I will probably just have to get sick again!

At least b12 deficiency is not fatal?

Patez

[Nackapan in reply to patez]

'Pernicious ' anaemia I'm amazed the hospital csnt get it .

[Hamayeshguy in reply to patez]

Slow release in high dose works for some people but even in that case I injection should be done routinely along with pills.

[patez in reply to Hamayeshguy]

Thanks for the info.

[Hamayeshguy in reply to patez]

B12 deficiency is fatal. Lots of neurological symptoms can affect person. You'd better to try as hard as you can to get you injection on time, otherwise bad symptoms can nab you like extreme muscle weakness. Numbness in arms which don't let you sleep and double vision. Please do as much as you can to get b12

[FlipperTD in reply to patez]

Hi Patez. Scientist, not medic.

B12 deficiency can be fatal. That's why we refer to 'Pernicious Anaemia' and untreated, it will kill. It will take a while, but 'back in the mists of time', patients with PA didn't survive much beyond a couple of years before we had some of the innovative treatments such as 'lightly cooked' [ie just about raw] liver. If you can stomach large quantities of liver, that should still work. Good luck.

[Hamayeshguy in reply to Nackapan]

Buy methylcobalamine injection from other countries like India, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan

[patez in reply to Hamayeshguy]

Hi.

The problem is that the import of b12, in any form, into Thailand from any country is banned to the general public. B12 is recognised here as health/medical supplies. I tried to argue the point with customs, stating that b12 is a vitamin, but they still refused.

[wedgewood in reply to patez]

i sent B12 ampules to a friend in Thailand and they were confiscated at customs

[Hamayeshguy in reply to patez]

What about veterinary stuff? Buy it as veterinary supplement.

[ClareP5 in reply to patez]

Could you get someone to buy and send in - wrap up as a present and say it's something else on the customs form!

[helvella in reply to ClareP5]

In the UK, lying on a Customs form is illegal, indeed, criminal, and has potentially significant consequences.

Worse, the Thai authorities could look on doing so as a conspiracy to illegally import a product.

[deniseinmilden]

I can't comment on the batches you have in Thailand but in the UK drugs for veterinary use are more stringently tested and controlled than for people.

The reason being that if you have a problem with one bottle for human use it only has the potential to harm the people it is directly used on, whereas if it is used on the same number of animals and they all get into the food chain it has the potential to affect hundreds of people.

I've had "for animal use only" batches of different medicines prescribed to me many times by Drs in the past, alongside the human licenced equivalent, in anything from eye ointment to heart rhythm regulation pills, so sensitive and important medications.

That said, we have struggled to get some of the veterinary medicines recently and have had to resort to human ones "off label", under the jurisdiction of a vet, so if you did use it, please make sure that it is of a recognised quality and not made by an "alternative" manufacturer without licence.

Solgar sublinguals work to some extent for me but I went over to hydroxocobalamin jabs because it was cheaper and easier. But definitely worth trying! They go under your tongue nicely and can last 20 minutes if you can resist the temptation to suck them - the longer the better as it gives more time for absorption.

Feeling for you and wishing you all luck.

[patez in reply to deniseinmilden]

Thank you

[deniseinmilden in reply to patez]

It would be really interesting to know what you decide and how you get on!

All the best!

[jimmel196]

I would use veterinary b12 before using no b12. I don't know much about medications in Thailand but untreated PA will kill you eventually so the choice is easy.

[patez in reply to jimmel196]

Thanks for your reply.

[PaintLadie]

I've used meds from the Animal Store aka Feed store and they've worked fine. I've never used an injectable but would if that was all that was available to me.